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Alltech celebrates presence in China, looks to future

China 20 Year Celebratory Summit addresses several issues

Alltech recently held its China 20 Year Celebratory Summit in Beijing to celebrate the global animal nutrition company's 20 years of successful presence in the Far East and to explore where the Chinese feed and food industries are heading.

"China must be able to feed itself," said Alltech Founder and President Dr. Pearse Lyons, while addressing more than 700 attendees at the summit.

China is experiencing a growing demand for dairy products and its ever conscious consumers are increasingly concerned about food safety. According to Alltech North China General Manager, Gordon Gao, who addressed the dairy session of the Alltech China 20 Year Celebratory Summit, China urgently needs to increase milk production efficiency, maintain profitability and focus on food safety.

"Chinese dairy farmers need to find sustainable ways to maintain profitability by lowering costs and increasing the level of production and Alltech can provide solutions for these issues that Chinese dairy farmers face," Gao said.

Adaptation

Chinese companies have the capability to quickly adapt technologies and learn from other markets. In 2013, China contributed 30 percent of the total 267 million tons of global swine feed produced. China is set to remain the largest pork meat producer and consumer in the world and the Chinese perspective on pig production has global implications.

Lyons spoke about the very recent Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) cases in the U.S. and Canada. After another recent outbreak of the virus, many industry members are now reassessing their feed ingredient sources and tightening the reins on the traceability of their overall management and nutrition programs.

"While it is unrealistic to believe that a simple nutritional change will result in the elimination of the virus from a herd of pigs," Lyons said. "Alltech's distinct set of technologies can help in maintaining healthy pig populations, which is the first step in dealing with a herd crisis."

Alternative raw material sources

It will also soon be critical that Chinese companies use alternative raw material sources. Lyons predicts that systems such as solid state fermentation (SSF) will soon allow the production of customized enzyme cocktails for improving digestion, animal performance and health. Algae has already began to play an increasing role in animal production as a source of sustainable vegetable protein or oils (DHA).

As part of Alltech's China Now strategy Dr. Mark Lyons, vice president corporate affairs commented that "Alltech has committed to investing $2.5 million by 2016 in research alliance programs with leading Chinese universities and our partnership with Ocean University of China in Qingdao will contribute to a sustainable future for the Chinese aquaculture industry."